Warriors and Mages
by MadnessSpeaking
Summary: As Prince Loki Walked to the training grounds of Asdgard for the first time, in year 1266 AC, he had one simple desire: To be loved by his people, like his Father and Brother. But Norns are not known for their mercy. One disaster leads to a chain of disasters.
1. Chapter 1

1266 AC

Asgard

A sickly child dragged a long sword to the center of the training ground. His thin arms painfully ached and his small hands were numb and red from grasping the frozen metal of the training sword. Training swords' edges was carefully dulled but the hand was bare and metal was frozen from the cold weather.

Crowed circled the training ground, some watched from distance and others from large balcony of the place.

Odin All-father stood on the highest balcony by his side was his firstborn and crown prince, Thor Odinson. The pare watched as young Loki stumbled to the center. Servants and hand-maids stopped from their chores to watch the younger prince expectantly. All remembered very well how fearless and brave prince Thor was at this age; it was also expected from Loki who was training for the first time, after centuries of illness.

Second prince's health was all but fragile. At hot summer days of 1216 A.C., as other children of age 250 trained for the first time, young Loki was bedridden due to the weather. He struggled to breathe as others laughed and swung their sword in mock-fight. And now young Loki was way behind _them_ and his brother at this age. All-father's order was for Loki to train at winter if he could not do so in summer, Loki's inability to defend himself was dangerous. As a prince his life was constantly in danger and if the court deemed his inability as a threat to Asgard, his life was in a grave danger.

Young Loki Shook from cold and fear as the old warlord-warrior awaited him at the center of the training ground. Tyr was as old as all-father and as powerful in art of war. He was one of the warriors who led force of Asgard in the war of Jotunheim in soil of Midgard and Jotunheim.

There weren't many warriors who were willing to train at cold. Therefore, Tyr was chosen for training Loki. Long years of war in cold, made Tyr adamant to cold. Tyr was a great warrior but many years of war and death hardened him and he had no patience for children; Tyr was no tutor.

Elder warrior's eyes were narrowed at the child, his muscles tense as he gripped hand of his own sword; he was ready for attack.

Loki finally stood at the center; as he watched Thor done many times, he stood face to face with the warrior.

* * *

 _"Remember brother, you shall always face your opponent directly."_

 _"But, why?"_

 _"It's way of Asgardian men, brother! It's the honorable way. You don't want to attack from the shadows like maiden, do you?"_

 _"No!"_

 _"With all of your little tricks, you indeed make fine maiden!" Fandral's Voice and their laughter stayed forever in Loki's mind._

* * *

Loki raised the heavy sword and swung the sword clumsily. His sword barely moved above the ground. He struggled to keep his balance as the sword moved. Tyr's reaction was instant; he easily evaded the weak blow. Tyr's response to Loki's weak blow was instant; he swung his sword at the child and the blow hit Loki in hand.

Loki whimpered from pain and dull sword fell from his hands. His small fingers ached unbearably.

Odin shook his head; he knew full well how his youngest's first training would end. Odin turned to leave; he could not bear to see pain of humiliation in his child's eyes.

Tyr attacked again: tilt of his sword collided with Loki's face. Loki's body turned around from the blow and he fell to his knees.

Tyr raised his sword and brought it down again. The blow hit Loki in back.

Loki arched his back and screamed from pained. The child fell heavily on his chest, his hands broke his fall. Loki's eyes traveled as he fought tears of pain and humiliation: he had shamed his father once more. Loki saw how his father shook his head; disappointment.

Tyr hit Loki in the back again. Loki's green eyes widened from pain, he cried out in pain and fell even further. His chest hit the ground; front his clothes completely soaked. Loki shivered as the cold pierced his bones.

Loki raised his head; his eyes caught cold stare of his mother's hand-maid, Hilgard.

Hilgard was disgusted. Such a disgrace for a prince. His green with shined with tears as he looked at her. Hilgard crunched her nose in disgust and crossed her arm, lips pursed. 'So unfit for a prince of Asgard!' She screamed at the child with her eyes and watched as tears pooled in his eyes. Satisfaction was all Hilgard felt.

Loki bowed his head, shoulder-length black hair hiding the tears pooled in his eyes. His eyes burnt from humiliation. He swallowed hard; the lump in his throat ached. Loki raised his head once more, his eyes caught with his brother; begging him with his eyes.

Thor shook his head, silently telling him that he could not help him.

'There is no other way, little brother, you need to learn: even if it is the hard way.'

Thor's heart broke for his brother; the way his shined with unshed tears, his green eyes wide with fear and pain, his clothes soaked and his body shivering in cold, small hand holding him up.

'There is no other way.' Thor held himself back, 'He needs to learn.'

Loki saw this in Thor's eyes. Last piece of hope fell from his heart and acceptance crept over.

"Get up!" Tyr's voice bellowed at him from above his head.

As Loki struggled to rise from the snow, Tyr sheathed his sword and picked a long piece of wood from corner of the training ground.

Loki picked up the dull sword as Tyr picked the cane, but the sword fell from his frozen hands. Sound of laughter rose from the crowd at the display. Loki's face burnt in shame as Tyr stared at him with disgust.

'Weakness…unacceptable.' Tyr grumbled under his breath.

Loki picked up his word again as Tyr leaped forward and raise the long stake in an attempted attack. Loki blocked the blow and stumbled backward. Tyr stroked again and again. Loki blocked the second blow but fell when the third blow stroke him in the chest.

Loki fell down and his sword casted far away from him. Loki raised his arms above his head as Tyr raised his stake for the fourth time.

For a second, Loki's eyes caught with Tyr's; Tyr's eyes shined with hatred, his hair flowed in the wind, he looked wild and mad. Loki felt his heart skipped a beat as Tyr's stake moved in blur.

The fourth blow hit Loki and sound of crack filled the ground. Loki screamed, tears falling from his cheeks. Loki's breath hitched from pain.

Loki sobbed silently on the ground as Tyr raised his stake for the fifth time, he was beyond humiliation now. He balled himself on the ground and raised his balm above his head, desperate for a small protection against Tyr's merciless blows.

Tyr's fifth blow, hit Loki on his already broken ribs, shattering the broken ribs. Scream ripped itself from Loki's throat. Loki felt his lungs burn. His whole body hurt so badly. Loki sobbed on the ground as the crowd watched heartlessly. His broken sobs filled the ground, but they did not grant him mercy.

Tyr strikes him again. Sixth blow shattered Loki's left arm with a sickening sound. Tyr through away the stake,

"Weak, pathetic, disgrace!" Tyr whispered to Loki venomously. Tyr's boot collided with Loki's side.

Loki screamed and sobbed harder. His pride and dignity fell apart, "Please-please…Tyr… stop-"

Tyr growled like an animal. He raised his boot and kicked the child again and again.

"Weak!"

Loki's Sobs and begs silenced as he darkness slowly took over him.

"Pathetic!"

Again

 **"Disgrace!"**

Again

"Enough! You went too far, Tyr!" He heard someone howl.

 _'Thor?'_

Loki heard Thor's heavy footsteps ran toward him and at last utter _Darkness._


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Queen's Wrath

XXX

"Hell has no fury like a mother"

-My Grandfather

XXX

 _Previously on Fate Series:_

 _'Weakness…unacceptable.' Tyr grumbled under his breath._

 _Loki picked up his sword again as Tyr leaped forward and raise the long stake in an attempted attack. Loki blocked the blow and stumbled backward. Tyr stroked again and again. Loki blocked the second blow but fell when the third blow stroke him in the chest._

 _Loki fell down and his sword fell far away from him. Loki raised his arms above his head as Tyr raised his stake for the fourth time._

 _For a second, Loki's eyes caught with Tyr's; Tyr's eyes shined with hatred, his hair flowed in the wind, he looked wild and mad. Loki felt his heart skipped a beat as Tyr's stake moved in blur._

 _The fourth blow hit Loki and sound of crack filled the ground. Loki screamed, tears falling from his cheeks. His breath hitched from pain._

 _Loki sobbed silently on the ground as Tyr raised his stake for the fifth time, he was beyond humiliation now. He balled himself on the ground and raised his balm above his head, desperate for a small protection against Tyr's merciless blows._

 _Tyr's fifth blow, hit Loki on his already broken ribs, shattering the broken ribs. Scream ripped itself from Loki's throat. Loki felt his lungs burn. His whole body hurt so badly. Loki sobbed on the ground as the crowd watched heartlessly. His broken sobs filled the ground, but they did not grant him mercy._

 _Tyr strikes him again. Sixth blow shattered Loki's left arm with a sickening sound. Tyr through away the stake, "Weak, pathetic, disgrace!" Tyr whispered to Loki venomously. Tyr's boot collided with Loki's side._

 _Loki screamed and sobbed harder. His pride and dignity fell apart, "Please-please…Tyr… stop-" Tyr growled like an animal. He raised his boot and kicked the child again,_

 _"Weak!"_

 _And again,_

 _" _Pathetic!"__

 _And again,_

 _" _Disgrace!"__

 _And again._

 _Loki's Sobs and begs silenced as darkness slowly took over him._

 _" _Enough! You went too far, Tyr!" He heard someone howl.__

 _'Thor?'_

 _Loki heard Thor's heavy footsteps ran toward him and at last, utter Darkness._

XXX

 _Darkness_

 _Pain_

 _Consciousness_

XXX

Pain was the first thing Loki noticed. His body burnt in pain. His lung clutched themselves like they were filled with tar. As Loki struggled to breath, Tyr's voice yelled at him, ' _weak_!'

Loki remembered everything: The rage and hate in Tyr's eyes, his hair dancing in the wind, sword raised above his head, his eyes shining like a madman.

Loki remembered how father turned away.

 _'I disappointed father once more.'_ Thought Loki.

He remembered Thor shaking his head, denying his plead for help. Hilgard looking at him in disgust.

His own pride and dignity falling apart. Begging the merciless warrior in front of the crowd of servants and maids. Their laughter.

It all resembled a nightmare.

 _'Norns! How I wish mother would wake me from this nightmare'_

Mother woke him from nightmares that hunted his night. She was never angered at how Loki's cries woke her from her sleep at dead of the night. When Loki opened his eyes she always smiled softly. Never once she was angered, never.

Loki slowly noticed Voices around him. Sound of an argument gaining volume with every word. Loki opened his eyes.

Mother and Thor stood face to face. Their faces screwed in anger. Mother's back was half turned to Loki, but Loki had full view to Thor.

"…left your brother to Tyr's mercy-"

"I did **NOT** leave Loki to Tyr's mercy. I helped-"

But Mother kept going like Thor never interrupted her, "-and watched when he beat your brother, and intervened when done was done!"

"Father wanted-"

"LOKI IS YOUR BROTHER, HEARTLESS CHILD!"

Mother screamed the last word. Her chest rising up and down as she breathed heavily; slight growl emitting from her throat.

Suddenly, Loki noticed soft hands caressing his face. Loki turned his head and looked at owner of the hands. Eir.

XXX

 _'Eir is my friend of mine. We learned art of healing in forests of Vanaheim, my boy.'_ _Loki remembered Mother telling him as she took Loki to Lady Eir to tutor him in art of healing when he showed signs of seidr for the first time._

 _'Mor, Hvorfor du ikke laere meg?*' Loki asked in Aesir tongue._

 _Mother pursed her lips, 'All-speak, Loki!'_

 _'Sorry.'_

 _Loki corrected himself in all-speak, 'Mother, Why do you not teach me?'_

 _'When it is time for you to learn battle magic I shall teach you, but for now, my child, my skills lays elsewhere.' Mother answered._

XXX

Eir taught him healing and she still did. She was kind and patient. Eir, like all other Aesir Healers, separated her brown hair in two and closed it behind her head.

"Don't try to move, my prince. Your ribs are broken. They heal until tomorrow, should you not move." Eir told him in a soft voice.

"Hello Lady Eir." Loki whispered back to her softly. Too tired to keep his head turned at Eir, Loki laid his head back on the soft Bomull** pillow.

"Are you in pain, dear child?" Eir asked.

"Yes."

"I believe I still have boswellia and valerian root Draught from your last 'adventure'. Drink the draught and sleep. When you wake, you will be healed."

Eir raised from her seat beside his bed and walked to the potionary.

Loki turned his gaze to Mother and Thor who were sharing heated glares.

"You blame me for this?" Thor said incredulously.

"YES! You. Stood. There!" Mother's answer was sharp and angry.

With these words Mother turned her back to Thor and her eyes met with Loki's, her angry expression changed to a bright smile.

Loki saw a Loki of guilt passed Thor's eyes but it was fast buried by his pride and temper.

"Loki is weak and scrawny; he could not even lift the sword without dropping it twice! He shook in front of Tyr like a maiden about to be deflowered." Thor said cruelly, he did not saw Loki's eyes watching him with shock.

Mother's smile died at her lips and her eyes wide she turned back to stare at Thor. Loki gaped at his brother.

 _'Where do these words come from, brother? Your words do not sound like they are yours.'_

But Thor was not done, he continued his eye on Mother's wide blue ones, he had expression of a warrior returning victor from a war, "It was so pathetic that father could not even **look** at him! Loki keeps causing mischief and now, this. He shamed us all!"

Loki's vision blurred.

 _'Is this all I am to you? Shame? Pathetic?'_

As tears slipped down Loki's cheek, Thor finally looked around the suddenly silent room. Thor eyes met with Loki's wet ones and widened.

"Brother-"

"Get out." Said mother, absolutely calm. Her face was calm and cold; it did not belong to her kind face.

Thor paled. He opened his mouth to talk but decided against it and instead ran out of the room.

Loki sobbed as his ribs burnt painfully. The room was silent. There was no sound but Loki's sobs.

 _'Mother will forgive him. She always does.'_

Queen Frigga walked her youngest and took him in her arm. She let Loki to cry on her chest as she held him.

XXX

Frigga brushed her son's black hair with her fingers. Lower portions of her honey colored hair fell over her shoulders, hiding her son's red rimmed eyes. She sat on Loki's bed, with his head on her lap

Frigga caressed her boy's pale brow and hair. With each soft caress, Loki's blinking eyes became sleepier.

Loki cried silently for hours before calming down. His weightless body lied on the bed and his black haired head on Frigga's lap.

The Healing rooms were fairly quiet; the Healers left the rooms giving Queen and their prince hours of peace. Eir left the draught by Loki's bedside before leaving.

The healing rooms were dully light by the fireplace in the center of the room. The dull light shown in Loki's sad and hollow eyes. Frigga's chest clutched from the bare pain in the child's eyes. _'My poor child, you grew up way to soon. All the pain that has followed you from young age has forced you to grow up. All of our children grow up to soon. I knew this from the beginning but I did not want this for you.'_

Neither Loki nor Frigga knew if the pain was physical or emotional. _'Both…'_ Her mind whispered sadly.

"Mother…" Loki's silent voice reaped through silence, "Have I shamed you?"

 _'It must be because of Thor's words.'_

"Of course not, my sweet child! Your brother is a fool." Answered Frigga, but Loki's green eyes stayed pained.

"But…Mother… Hilgard was so disgusted."

Frigga froze in shock, _'Hilgard? How is that possible? She was not in the castle at the time…unless…'_

"Hilgard was in the palace?" Frigga asked Loki.

"Yes, she stood in the balcony as I trained." Loki answered tiredly.

Frigga's blood boiled.

"She laughed with others…" Loki whimpered and hide his face once more.

 ** _'Hilgard…'_**

XXX

 _"My lady."_

 _Frigga turned to the familiar voice in doorway, her eyes brightening. Hilgard stood at the doorway. When Frigga first came to Asgard as a young maiden of Vanaheim, Hilgard was her first friend and later became her Handmaid._

 _"Hilgard. God morgen." Frigga greeted her friend, smiling softly._

 _"God morgen, my Lady."_

 _Hilgard lingered on the doorway hesitantly. Therefor Frigga spoke again to ease her, "Are you ready for Vanaheim? You must be a light traveler!"_

 _Hilgard shifted uneasily._

 _"My Lady, accompanying you to Vanaheim is a great honor…" She stopped once more._

 _"But…?" Frigga urged her to go on._

 _"But I cannot accompany you, fore my sister has fallen ill. I cannot leave her in her time of need."_

 _Her words did not sound untrue and Hilgard had no reason to lie; Frigga would not suspect her to be lying, if she was not grasping her skirt so hard that her knuckles were white._

 _Frigga raised an eyebrow._

 _"Hilgard; if you do not want to come with me to Vanaheim, you do not need to make excuses."_

 _Hilgard looked at her feet, in what Frigga thought to be embarrassment._

 _"No! My Lady, I want to accompany you to Vanaheim." She said in a whisper, "But I am to meet with someone outside of Palace in two days."_

 _Frigga Looked at Hilgard Mischievously, "Someone outside of palace? Hmmm…"She tilted her head and stared at Hilgard, who looked anywhere but at Frigga, "A lover maybe?"_

 _Hilgard's eyes shot to Frigga's, Widened in disbelieve._

 _"My Queen!"_

 _Frigga's laughter rang through the golden halls._

 _"Calm yourself my old friend! It is fine. I surly can survive a week without my handmaid."_

XXX

 ** _"My sister has fallen ill…"_**

 ** _Justification._**

 ** _"…Outside The palace in two days…"_**

 ** _Lies._**

 ** _"My Old Friend"_**

 ** _Betrayal._**

Frigga sat in a chair beside her child. Fire of the fire place, long gone and gone with it the dull light. Healing rooms were wrapped in dark and silence.

"Du kjenner verede min. 'My Old Friend', you have passed the line. You have pained my child."

Yes, you shall know my wrath.

XXX

Mor, Hvorfor du ikke laere meg: Norwegian for "Mother, Why do you not teach me?"

Bomull: self-made, it's a red colored Asgardian Cotton, It feels softer than Earth's Cottons but in structure It's harder than stone wall and It doesn't lose its natural form easily.

XXX

An: So the second chapter after such a long time. I am Very sorry about this. It's not long like my lost chapter, may it rest in peace, But, hey! I was depressed for some time; But you kind and Lovely responses, helped me through, so thank you all.

Oh! And sorry for my horrible Norwegian skill! I tried Duolingo app for learning and I'm actually better in Norwegian than Spanish. Not that I understand either!

A lots of love,

Madness


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Sin and consequence

XXX

What goes around comes back around.

XXX

 ** _Previously on Fate Series:_**

 _Lies._

 _"My Old Friend"_

 _Betrayal._

 _Frigga sat in a chair beside her child. Fire of the fire place, long gone and gone with it the dull light. Healing rooms were wrapped in dark and silence._

 _"Du kjenner verede min. 'My Old Friend', you have passed the line. You have pained my child."_

 _Yes, you shall know my wrath._

XXX

 **1266 B.C.**

 **Asgard**

Darkened hallways of sorcerers temple, echoed with footsteps of a woman.

Woman dressed in dark blue; her long, honey colored hair flowed in the air as she moved.

Her dark blue dress was covered with black velour cloak. Her clothes were very simple, but only thing that spoke of her statues as a warrior was her golden chestplate and vembraces.

The woman, Frigga also known as Goddess of Family, was born of Vanir father and Dark Elf Mother. Her Mother, Nott, was daughter of Malekith the Accursed. Therefore Queen Nott, Svartalf Queen of Vanaheim, was quite known for her vengefulness. A trait that she secretly passed to her daughter.

This particular trait was the reason Queen Frigga of Asgard was in the Temple that day.

The temple was made of dwarf carved stones from Svartalfheim. The hallways and chambers were completely made of stone and lit with torches. Twined hallways each ended to a chamber.

Queen spent long hours at the maze of hallways to reach her destination. Alas, Frigga was full with determination of a betrayed woman and vengeance of The Accursed One. Her ears heard nothing but broken sobs of her child. Her head full of memories of her young child suffering from hot merciless weather. His small body determined to vomit every last drop of blood. His wide eyes and clothes drenched from sweat. Throat raspy from desperate gasps to breath.

When the Queen reached her desired chamber, her feet throbbed and her head ached from painful thoughts and memories. Dark chamber was lit by two green torches at each side of the doorframe.

At the center stood a large stone bowl on its wooden foundation.

Frigga watched the bowl as she expected it attack her.

 _'_ _What am I doing?'_ Frigga asked herself silently. She remembered her mother's warning:

 _"_ _Frigg, my dearest, turning Magic to darkness always has a consequence. Remember: price of a life is very high. Each life, one takes with dark magic, carries consequence. Imagine now what a curse will do. Thread carefully daughter, Norns are not known for their mercy"_

But it was too late to turn back now.

 _'_ _This is Justice.'_ Frigga told herself but it sounded like a child's justification against memory of her mother.

Frigga loosened her cloak and let it fall to the ground. She raised her hands and fisted them. The bowl lit with the same green fire of torches and Queen's soft voice rang through the chamber:

" ved makt yggdrasil pa meg

Jeg forbenner deg.

La vrede min stryke deg.

Du skal do sakte

Sa ma det vaere"

Green reflection of fire was telling.

 _XXX_

Asgard is the Land without sun yet it has its dawn and dusk.

Unlike it's fellow realms it is a flat mass of land. Underneath the flat landmass, stood mountains of Energy Crystals. The crystals were the reason of day and night. They collected energy at night and started the lightening at dusk. Therefore, dusk of Asgard took 3 hours.

It was in this hours of light and dark that Loki gained consciousness. The torches were out except for one torch that stood bside the doorframe.

Loki slowly sat up on the mattress. His ribs strangely did not ache. _'They most have healed, thank you Norns!'_ Loki thought.

Carefully, he moved his legs down the edge of the bed. The stones were unusually warm. Again, Loki waited for aching of broken bones but it never came. Thirst burnt his throat as Loki licked his dry lips. The ewer stood unfairly at the far end of the room. Loki groaned and stood from the bed.

Suddenly, a shiver went down Loki's spine. Something was wrong. His gut clenched and unclenched with sensation of wariness. Loki walked to the ewer. _'completely Healed, How is this possible? Not even Eir is that good.'_ Loki's mind warned.

All of a sudden, Healing chambers rooms became dark. The golden walls turned to black stone. Loki spun around in alarm.

He stood in a larg dark hall. All in stone. Loki bleached; at the end of the hall was a throne of what seemed to be bone. Upon it sat a woman. Dark haired and green eyed. Half of her face a beautiful lady and the other was decayed with white pieces of her skull peeking through dead flesh.

She grinned.

Loki closed his eyes and screamed.

And the room flashed to gold.

XXX

Loki opened his eyes.

He was kneeled in front of the ewer. Hand stretched out. There was not even a bruise on his hand from when it was slammed on by Tyr.

Loki shivered and turned around.

His mother stood on the doorframe. Something was wrong. The happiness that he always felt by her presence was replaced by fear. She did not belonged there in that room. She was dressed for cold. The dusk was at the end but light upon her clothes were dark, as it were midnight. The light on her face was not from flames of healing rooms' torch. It was green.

Loki understood what was exactly wrong when he turned his head toward the bed. On his mattress laid a broken and bruised body.

His own.

Loki screamed again and everything faded out.

XXX

 **Light**

 **Falling**

 **Awakening**

 **Pain**

XXX

"…was fine, Lady Eir!"

"His not breathing! Norns have mercy!"

"Where is Queen Frigga?"

 ** _'_** ** _Yes. Truly, where is mother?'_**

XXX

 **I felt death when I felt my soul being pulled out of my body.**

 **I felt death when I felt my soul being forced down my throat.**

 **But I knew I was alive when I felt** ** _pain_** **.**

 ** _Pain_**

 ** _Pain_**

 ** _Pain_**

 ** _Pain_**

XXX

 _'_ _Pain. Again. Is this how it will be from now on?'_ was the first thing Loki thought when he gained his consciousness once more.

 **"** Father **?"** But Father's single blue eye was the first thing he saw.

XXX

Descensum;

Also known as "Soul Exiting", It is Power of separating one's spirit from one's body. The Most favored side of this ability is traveling to spiritual realms. This ability is very dangerous, therefore, It is listed as Mage Level Sorcery; for the Sorcerer might be trapped in spiritual form or even killed. Controlling the spiritual form is very hard and effecting the Physical realm is not possible for most of Seider users.

This high level sorcery gives the user other abilities such as: Dreamscaping, Soul Manipulation, Soul Trapping, Soul Removal, Soul Severing, and Soul Energy.

XXX

Screams were what Odin heard when he came near the Healing Rooms that day. The tortured screams. Screams that brought him memories from things he did not want to remember.

Odin snapped out of his frozen, terrified state and ran faster than he could remember in three thousand years.

Guard and maids did not even turned to stare, for they were too staring at the source of screams with terrified looks.

Odin ran to the chambers were screams were located, only to stare in to depth of his nightmares.

The screams came from **his** child. Loki was held to the bed by five Healers. Healers were wide eyed; sweat dripping from their foreheads as they tried to hold the usually fragile child, who was showing amazing amount of strength worthy of a Berserker. Lady Eir was kneeled behind Loki's head; her fingers were placed on Loki's temples. Her eyes were closed tightly, as she attempted to calm Loki with her Seider; in vain. Loki arched his back, his broken ribs pierced through paper white, pale skin. His seider pulsing and spiking in vibes, the air was heavy with maddened seider.

" **Out of my way**!" Odin shouted and pushed herd of healers away from his boy.

Odin swiped his child in his arms as his little boy writhed and struggled. Odin held him tightly to his chest, his child's screams turned to whimpers. His own seider and Loki's clashed against each other and then both calmed. Odin's seider pulsed with Loki's as one.

Loki's body limbed with lack of any more strength as he opened his eyes. Emerald green eyes. Magic shown through them as they widened in shock.

"Father?" Said Loki in small voice.

 _'_ _He did not think I would come.'_ Odin thought sadly. His magic suddenly felt another's signature on Loki's core. Like echo of memory in mind. Like reflection on the mirror. An answer to a powerful curse. Vengeance on another, a price that Loki paid. An ongoing dept. Signature was unmistakable… **Frigga**.

 _'_ _Norns, What have you done?'_

XXX

"What in the name of Helheim were you trying to accomplish, Frigga?" Odin asked furiously.

Queen Frigga sat on a golden chair and sobbed painfully.

"Woman! You are not a child new to seider. Curses have consequences! That, my dear wife, is the first lesson any child in taught in art of seider. What. Were. You. Thinking?!"

More sobs.

"And this is the beginning! Norns will not stop until this mess has become a legend in every bard's song."

And more sobs.

"They will rip, our child apart. What were you thinking?"

Frigga's voice came at last:

"I d-did not…t-thought of something…s-so so sever!"

And more sobs.

"Of all the prices to be paid it had to be the _Spirit Exiting_. Loki is so terrified." Said Odin, sadly.

Traitorous thought came: _'Loki is not the only one terrified, all who heard his screams are. There will be rumors of youngest prince's possession by dark energy for centuries.'_ The traitorous thoughts stopped as Frigga's broken whisper reached him:

"My baby. My poor sweet child…I-I…I almost killed him. What have I done?"

Odin sank down to the chair beside Frigga. Frigga cried painfully; Odin sighed. He placed his hand on her shoulder and pulled her to his side. There were no words, only her soft cries.

XXX

The King comforted the Queen as she cried, oblivious to Hilgard who stood behind the golden doors. Hilgard back leaned against the wall and listened in confusion.

 _'_ _What could be so terrible?'_

Kings words repeated in her mind:

 _"_ _What in the name Helheim were you trying to accomplish?"_

 _"_ _Curses have consequences."_

 _"_ _They will rip him apart…"_

Hilgard felt the answers falling in the right place like pieces of a mosaic art. _'Queen must have cursed that disgusting Jotun Spawn…!'_ The Queen must have found out about the spell the _Jotun Spawn_ had on her and she cursed the creature. Finally.

The King also had said _"Curses have consequences."_

The only valid answer Hilgard could think of was that the King and Queen were worried about the Norns extracting the price from the Prince Thor. Hilgard's stomach churned and jolted with worry. The prince was an innocent child, beautiful and fare. She loved him verily. And now he was in danger because of that damned Spawn.

Hilgard remembered the day of king's return from war. He came back at dead of the night. On those nights Hilgard could not sleep. It was a weak before king's return that they brought her father's remains. In a golden box. Small pieces of frozen flash was all that remained from her father, Ór. Then she saw it. The small beast that wiggled in kings arm. To her horror, the King stretched his hand to the queen and placed the beast in her arms. Hilgard wanted to scream and warn her beloved Queen but it was too late the blue spawn had casted his spell on her. _It_ smiled as if to mock them. Her poor Queen under the _spawn_ 's spell saw the smile as an innocent smile of a child and smiled back at _it._

 _'_ _It all shall be over soon'_

Hilgard stood straight and walked back toward her chambers. She remembered. She remembered the day her father died. She remembered her mother's wails. She remembered the frozen pieces of flesh. All that remained of Ór.

Hilgard entered her chambers, so deep in memories of that painful day that she slammed the door behind her.

Her chambers were small, but they also were made from collection of rooms: bathing chamber, her own chambers and her children's. The bathing chambers had a small bathing pool that her eldest child, Lysa, enjoyed immensely. When Hilgard came to the place, she was but a young maiden of 670. Her heart beat fast as she knelt in front of King Odin and was accepted as a palace maid. She vowed eternal secrecy to royal family. A Vow that was witnessed by Yggdrasil itself.

Shortly after she met a very handsome eiherjar, Verr. She bore Verr three children: Lysa, Haust and Bita. Shortly after birth of Bita, Verr was killed by Marauders of Gundersheim. Her father supported them until the frost giants attacked Midgard. One land that they should not have turned their sight on. Midgard, Gateway of nine realms. Those foolish beasts. Did they expect no intervention? Did they expect Asgard to let them take over the Gateway of the nine?

Hilgard sighed and sat on mattress, rubbing her hands over her eyes.

 _'_ _All men of my life die in battle…it seems as I shall never see happiness.'_

 _That night Hilgard's dreams were filled with pain and monsters._

XXX

Sound of coughs was what woke Hilgard up to the morning after and it was not her favorite sound to wake up to. Frankly, Hilgard did not enjoy waking up in the early mornings.

She woke up every single morning to remember she had a lot of work to do. Feeding three hungry stomachs, listening to one nagging teen sister, leading the other maids in right direction like a shepherd, supervising on cleaning Queen's wing of the castle, cleaning her chambers all by herself and the most tiresome, listening to Queens's favorite _Jotun pet._ Happily there was not any more of those around the castle.

"Why could she not adopt an animal instead?" Hilgard grumble under her breath.

Hilgard raised from her bed and walked to her children's chamber. They were asleep. Lysa and Bita looked well, but Haust did not. His sun-kissed skin was pale and his cheeks held were red.

Hilgard sat down on his bed. She brushed golden hair from Haust's brow and softly laid her palm on his brow. His brow was on fire like an essence of Musplheim. Hilgard's eyes widened with fear. She hurriedly moved her hand to croak on his neck. He was on fire. Her only son was on fire.\

"Mor?"

Haust's soft voice rang out. Hilgard looked up to her son's beautiful face and answered quickly, "All is well, my heart. All is well."

As if universe was ridiculing her, Haust started coughing heavily. Hilgard scooped him up from bed with wide eyes.

 _'_ _Norns…'_

Haust's blood splattered on Hilgard's face, as Haust coughed heavily and then chocked on the blood.

As Hilgard reached the healing rooms, it was far too late. His body was limb and he did not breath.

Haust Verrson never breathed again.

XXX

 **A/n: People, I am so, so sorry. This year was a tough one for me. Between life and a permanent depression, I couldn't find any time to write. Permanent Depression, is a real bitch; some time I'm fine and other times I'm not. And unti-depressants make me…well, crazy. Giggling crazy. So, I don't take them. Again, I'm sorry. Please bear with me,**

 **Love, MadnessSpeaking**


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